The number of migrants packed onto small boats crossing the English Channel has reached record highs, with some vessels carrying over 120 people far above previous averages.
Analysis by Nationalnews reveals that on four separate days since mid-August, boats carried an average of more than 80 people. The highest single-boat figure was 125, recorded last Saturday, surpassing the previous records of 106 in August and 98 in October 2024.
Prime Minister Keir Starmer, under pressure to deliver on his promise to smash the gangs, has ramped up efforts to dismantle people smuggling operations. His government has signed a deal with Iraq for UK officers to work in Kurdistan, a key smuggling hub and launched a new Border Force command focused on people smuggling.
Despite these measures, crossings continue to rise. So far in 2025, 33,566 migrants have made the journey on track to match the 2022 record of 45,755 arrivals. However, the number of crossings has halved, from 1,110 in 2022 to just 559 this year, meaning far more migrants are being loaded onto each vessel.
The shift is partly due to the use of larger boats and a reduced supply of dinghies from Turkey, forcing smugglers to cram more people on board. Experts warn this is increasing the risk of deaths at sea.
A new smuggling structure has also emerged, with so-called small hands lower-level traffickers using their language and community ties to recruit migrants. They are paid with promises of free crossings or in cash, and often add extra passengers without senior smugglers’ knowledge, further overcrowding boats.
With boats now sometimes carrying more than double their intended capacity, and desperate migrants paying zigzag brokers for a chance to board by force, crossings have become more chaotic and dangerous.
Former Border Force director, Tony Smith criticised the apparent lack of French enforcement. “If smugglers are loading 100 people onto a boat, how is it that no one is seeing this? It’s happening right under their noses,” he said.
Recall, Labour’s “one in, one out” migrant deal with France was designed to replace the scrapped Rwanda plan, has yet to show results. Meanwhile, Reform UK leader Nigel Farage continues to capitalise on the crisis, promising mass deportations if elected , a pressure point for Starmer, whose party is slipping in the polls.
As smugglers evolve their methods and enforcement struggles to keep pace, the Channel crisis shows no signs of slowing.
